The present invention relates to the container sealing art and more particularly to an improved high speed and easily adjustable straight line container sealing machine.
Straight line sealing machines for sealing containers have been in use for many years. These machines are generally characterized by having a horizontal moving conveyor which carries filled and unsealed containers successively through a cap feeding device, a cap applicator device, and a cap sealing means which may or may not include vacuum sealing means. Although the known machines have proven capable of providing satisfactory sealing operations, these prior machines have had limited speed capabilities and an inability for being readily and simply adjusted for handling differing container and closure cap sizes and shapes. For example, where changes are made in the products being sealed and where these changes require differing closure cap and container sizes and shapes it has required considerable time and usually expert operators to reset the various portions of the sealing machines for the necessary changes. Attempts to run these prior sealing machines at ever increasing speeds have also resulted in tie-ups and breakage resulting from an inability of the machines to adequately control the container and cap feeds and the sealing operations at these higher speeds. The present sealing machine is an improvement, for example, upon earlier sealing machines of the types shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,274,748 and 3,438,174 dated Sept. 27, 1966 and Apr. 15, 1969 respectively and owned by the assignee of the present invention.
In particular, the new machine of this invention has an improved base which provides independently adjustable supports for the vacuum chamber height as well as the heights and spacing of the container controlling side belts. The power feeds for the sealing heads and side belts and other moving parts are also at least partially contained in the machine base and permit all adjustments without affecting the drive synchronization.
The cap feed is improved for higher speed and is characterized by the use of a driven cap feed wheel and the side belts are adapted for improved container gripping and locating.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved straight line sealing machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a straight line sealing machine for use at significantly increased container sealing speeds.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a straight line sealing machine which is easily adjusted by inexperienced personnel for closure cap and container size changes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved high speed cap feed system for a straight line sealing machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved side belt container control system for a straight line sealing machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved sealing chamber and related cap feed chute end for a high speed straight line sealing machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing machine structure adapted for adjustment using electric or hydraulic powered adjusting drives.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an easily adjustable side belt system for a straight line container sealing machine.
Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.